The underwater environment is filled with sounds from both biological and abiotic sources, many of which are important for fish survival and reproduction. Human activities have significantly increased underwater noise levels over the past century, with potential negative impacts on fish populations. This review highlights the urgent need to study the effects of anthropogenic noise on fish behavior and ecology. While data on fish responses to increased ambient sound are limited, studies on other vertebrates suggest that anthropogenic noise may deter fish from important feeding and reproductive areas, disrupt critical activities, and cause stress-induced reductions in growth and reproduction. Fish rely heavily on sound for communication, predator avoidance, and prey detection, so noise can interfere with these functions. Human activities generate two main types of underwater sounds: unintentional by-products and intentional measurement tools. Vessels, offshore wind farms, and other coastal activities produce low-frequency noise that affects large areas. Anthropogenic noise can also impact predator-prey relationships, as fish may have difficulty detecting prey or avoiding predators in noisy environments. Noise can also affect fish distributions, with some species avoiding noisy areas. However, there is limited evidence of negative correlations between noise levels and fish diversity or density. Anthropogenic noise may also affect fish reproduction, as noise can interfere with communication and mating behaviors. Studies on birds and frogs suggest that noise can reduce mating success and affect reproductive outcomes. The review emphasizes the need for further research on the impact of noise on fish behavior, physiology, and ecology, particularly in relation to communication, orientation, and predator-prey interactions. While studies on terrestrial animals provide some insights, more research is needed to understand the full extent of noise impacts on fish. The review concludes that anthropogenic noise is a growing threat to fish populations, and further studies are essential to develop effective mitigation strategies.The underwater environment is filled with sounds from both biological and abiotic sources, many of which are important for fish survival and reproduction. Human activities have significantly increased underwater noise levels over the past century, with potential negative impacts on fish populations. This review highlights the urgent need to study the effects of anthropogenic noise on fish behavior and ecology. While data on fish responses to increased ambient sound are limited, studies on other vertebrates suggest that anthropogenic noise may deter fish from important feeding and reproductive areas, disrupt critical activities, and cause stress-induced reductions in growth and reproduction. Fish rely heavily on sound for communication, predator avoidance, and prey detection, so noise can interfere with these functions. Human activities generate two main types of underwater sounds: unintentional by-products and intentional measurement tools. Vessels, offshore wind farms, and other coastal activities produce low-frequency noise that affects large areas. Anthropogenic noise can also impact predator-prey relationships, as fish may have difficulty detecting prey or avoiding predators in noisy environments. Noise can also affect fish distributions, with some species avoiding noisy areas. However, there is limited evidence of negative correlations between noise levels and fish diversity or density. Anthropogenic noise may also affect fish reproduction, as noise can interfere with communication and mating behaviors. Studies on birds and frogs suggest that noise can reduce mating success and affect reproductive outcomes. The review emphasizes the need for further research on the impact of noise on fish behavior, physiology, and ecology, particularly in relation to communication, orientation, and predator-prey interactions. While studies on terrestrial animals provide some insights, more research is needed to understand the full extent of noise impacts on fish. The review concludes that anthropogenic noise is a growing threat to fish populations, and further studies are essential to develop effective mitigation strategies.